Dispensing machine



mc. 2, 1924. 1,517,9s2^

` T. CAPPARELLA DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 51, .1928

Inu??? ar mam M Patented ec. 2, 1924.

UlTE S T OFFICE.

T0 LEWIS H.

THOMAS CAPPARELLA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD GREVE, OF NEW YORK, I\T. Y.

DISPENS'ING MACHINE.

Application filed December 31, 1923.

Be itknown that I, THOMAS CArrAneLLA, a citizen of the United States? residing at N ew York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in Dispensing Machines, of which theI following` is a speciiication.

This invention relates to dispensing ina- L'hines and more particularly to a tooth pick or match dispenser.

(Jne of the principal objects of the invcntion is the provision of a tooth pick dispenser wherein a single ltooth pick may be ejec-ted upon each o-peration of the machine in a highly sanitary manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide tooth pick dispenser which includes an agitator operable on each operation of the dispensing niechanism to prevent the jainining or elogging of the tooth picks in the container so that the operator is assured a tooth pick on each operation.

further object of the invention is to provide a too-th pick dispenser which is simple in construction, cheap of manufacture and highly eiiicient for the pnrpose intended.

VVith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which 2- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention with a portion of the end wall broken away to show the Operating mechanism.

Figure 2 is a Vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the agitator mechanism.

In public eating establishments such as restaurants it is the usual practice to provide a tooth pick receptacle for accommodation of the patrons which receptacle usually exposes the tooth picks to' the fingers of the persons removing the same from the receptacle. This has proven to be very unhealthy, as diseases may be easily transmitted from one person to another. It is therefore my intenton to provide. a dispenser 'which is Serial No. 683,782.

primarily intended for use in dispensing` Atooth picks but it is to be understood that the same inay be constrncted for dispensingl inatches if desired without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

lfeferring` more pa-rticularly to the drawing, the reference nuineral 10 designates miY invcntion in its entirety and which includes a receptacle of hopper 11, to which is applied a reniovable cover 12, which in the present instance is shown as having a transparent glass window whereby the contents of the receptacle may be viewcd without removing the cover so that the contents may be watched and the supply. replenished when it is exhausted. Legs 13 snpportthe receptacle and may be of any suitable design which will add to the attractiveness of the device. i i

The receptacle is provided with an inclined outer bottom 14; and with. an inclined inner bottoin 15, which inner bott'oin is inclined at an angle greater than the outer bottom for a purpose to be presently dcscribed. The inner bottoni 15 ex-tends below and beyond the bottoin of` the receptacle to provide a trough 16, the center of the trough being cut-away as at 17 to .provide a finger slot whereby a tooth pick may be easily removedafter being ejected from the receptacle. The wall 18 overlies a portion of the bottom 15 and is spaced therefrom to provide a passage 19 for permittingv the tooth picks to gravitate singly to the ejecting roller 20. An inc'lined wall 21 rises from the wall 18 whereby to cause the contents of the receptacle to gravitate in a direction toward the point Where the passage'l9 opens to the receptacle. The dispensing r-oller 20 is rotatably mounted in the end walls of the receptacle at the lower end of the passage way whereby to close the same, and the roller is provided With a longitudinalV groove 22 of a size to snugly receive a tooth pick designa'ted at A.

The mechanism 2-3V is provided for opera ing` said roller and comprises a gear 24k mounted on one| end of the roller for meshing engagement with a gear segment 25 forined on a lever 26, the le-ver being pivoted to the end wall o-f the receptacle as at 27. The mechanism 23 is enclosed in one end wall of the receptacle and one end of the lever projects through a slot 28 in the front wall of 'the receptacle and the other end of the lever 26 has connected thereto one end of a spring' 29, the other end of said spring' being` attached to a stationary part whereby to hold the projecting end of the lever in an upward position so as to bring the groove 22 of the roller in register' With the passagje wa)v7 19. stop 30 limits the dmvnward n'iovement of the lever and the upper portion of the slot 28 serves to limit the npward movement as will be readili7 underst-ood.

In order to prevent the tooth picks from hecoming' jan'nned about the entranee of the passage 'way 19 which wonld stop the flow of tooth piclis to the roller. I provide an ag'itating means 31 which includes a rocl-:er arin 32 pivoted as at 33 to a bracket supported by the bottoin vl-l-. One end of the roclier arm is forined with a head M and the other end is adapted to eo-act with a pin 35 carried on the inner side of the segment 25, wherebfv movement of the segment in one direction will cause the ror-king;` of the arm 32 so as to bring the head 34: against the bottoin 14: where a slight tap is in'lparted. This will agitat-e the contents of the reee-ptacle upon each operation of the lever 2G to provide an uninterrulfited flow of tooth piclrs to the roller.

Then it is desired to eject a tooth pick from the reeeptacle, the lever 26 is dern'essed which canses the segment. 2.3 to move the gear whiclt is keUved to one end of the roller 20. The movement of' the roller will canse the tooth pick which has been previo'uslvv picled np by the lgroove 222 to fall by gravity into the troug'h V1(3. lt will be of course understood that; the spring; 20 retnrns the lever to its normal position after the same has been released. Also on each operation of the lever, the agitator means is operated in a manner previousl)`v described.

In the. present instanceV the receptaele is shown as constructed of metal, but it will be nnderstood thatv the sin'ne may be construct-ed of `glass or other material without. departiirgv from the spirit of the invention.

That is claimed as new is 1. A dispensing machine comprisin; a receptacle having an inclined bottom, a wall spaced from said bottom and adapted to overlie a portion of said bottom, the space between the wall and the bottoin oonstituting` a passage, a roller inonnted at the lower end of said passage, a groove in said roller for register with said passagef, and Operating means for osoillating` said roller. and an agltator means operable by said Operating means, said agitator means including a roek arm pivoted beneath said receptacle for strihing contact therewith.

:2. A dispensing machine comprising;` a receptacle having an inelined passage, one end of which opens into the interior of said receptacle, a roller mounted at the other end of said passage for closing` the samet a eroove in said roller for the receptacle of a single tooth pick and normally held 'in register with the passagef a trough mounted in said roller. mannaltv .operable means for moving said groove out of register with the l'iassag'e to eject the tooth piel; and into said trong'h. and automatic means for moving said roller to said normal position upon the releasing of said manuallv operable n'ieans.V and means operable by said manually operable means for agitating' 'the crnitents of said receptacle` said means including' a rock arm pivoted beneath said receptacle for striking' contact therewith.

;3. dispensing machine compii'ising a receptacle having` an inclined passagze, one end of which opens into the interior of 'said receptacle, a roller mounted in the other end of said passage for closing` the same, a groove in said roller for the reception of a single tooth pick. a gear keyed to one end of said roller, and an Operating' lever pivoted to said receptaele, a ,e'ear segment carried by said level' and movable therewith and adapted to mesh with said ;Je-air, means for holding: said lever iu an npward position to bring` the `groove in said roller into register with said passagle means for limiting lnovelnent of said lei'er in either (ilirt-'ction and an agitatinn' means (merable by said segment. for striliingr contact with the exterior portiou of said receptacle.

l. dispensingl` machine coinprising` a receptacle having` an inclined'bottoni7 a wall adanted to overlie a portion of said bottoni, to detine a passage, a roller mounted at the other end of said passage, a groove in said roller for register with said passage.v operating' means including` a gear segment for rotating' said roller an ag'itator means operable by said 4:gear segment and including' a roeker arm pivoted beneath said inclined bottom, a head formed on one end of said roeker arin for contact With said bottoin` and a pin carried by the segment for eo-action with the other end of said rocker arm.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my si gnatu re.

THOMA. S CA P PA BELL A llt) 

